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Dowel Storage
Posted: Fri Jan 04, 2013 7:50 pm
by fiatben
One of the side effects of having made so many toys for Christmas was a leftover inventory of dowels of various sizes and lengths. I did my homework (stealing good ideas off the internet) and came up with this.
[ATTACH]19824[/ATTACH]
It aint fancy. I literally made it out of scraps laying about the shop. It aint complicated either. 1" & 1-1/4" PVC and "whiteboard" lumber scraps. But it works and solves the problem. Now I just have to figure out where I'm going to keep it.
I could have made it pretty, used nice wood, turned the tubes so the mfr's printing didn't show, fancy corner joints, blah, blah, blah. But I didn't. Still, it was a satisfying little project, and that's what it's all about sometimes.
Posted: Fri Jan 04, 2013 7:53 pm
by terrydowning
Looks good to me
Posted: Fri Jan 04, 2013 9:17 pm
by fjimp
Great idea, thank you. I have been wondering how to use that extra pipe. Jim
Posted: Sat Jan 05, 2013 5:33 pm
by john
Great Idea!
I have been wrestling with that problem for years as my solution of storing them in shower curtain tubes in between basement ceiling joists did not prove too good.
John
Posted: Sat Jan 05, 2013 5:56 pm
by baysidebob
Your idea is much better than what I have used for years. Always keep mine in an old rubber rain boot that sits under the stairs. Of coarse you can't see what is in the boot and you have to dump it out to get at short pieces. Very good idea, I will have to use this, thanks.
Posted: Sat Jan 05, 2013 7:02 pm
by Gene Howe
Great idea. Much better than stacking them in a corner like I do.
Posted: Sat Jan 05, 2013 10:56 pm
by Ed in Tampa
I store mine overhead laying flat. Of course the longer ones stick out more.
Posted: Sun Jan 06, 2013 12:20 am
by curiousgeorge
A nice way to use materials on hand. I have been using old postal shipping tubes. Works the same as the pvc only they are cardboard and I didn't have to buy them.

On hand materials
Posted: Sun Jan 06, 2013 11:53 am
by fiatben
curiousgeorge wrote:A nice way to use materials on hand. I have been using old postal shipping tubes. Works the same as the pvc only they are cardboard and I didn't have to buy them.

We had the well pump go out the night before Christmas Eve (why things break down on holidays is one of life's mysteries) and had to replace/replumb it. I had about 8 feet of pipe left over and just in the way.
Still haven't decided on hanging it versus a stand-mounted style. Right not it's just sitting on the corner of a workbench, but it is too easy to knock over. Maybe I'll mounted it down on the side of one of the rollaround cabinets. Hmmm.....
Posted: Sun Jan 06, 2013 9:02 pm
by anmius
You should be able to remove the printing on the tubes just using a rag and some acetone. No turning required. And you can do it with them still mounted in the rack.